5 State Parks That Are Worth The Trip This Fall Season

Posted by Raine Vergara on October 02, 2018

Fall. The season of beautiful red, yellow and orange hues. Cold, crisp air. Surely it’s the most picturesque time of the year – a great time to be outdoors! And a great time to visit the state parks that are on top of the list during Autumn!

Why should you go camping this season?

Many campers plan out a trip around this time and why shouldn’t they? Who wouldn’t want to wake up to a scenery of breath-taking fall foliage? Not to mention that it’s the perfect hiking weather and the perfect time for warm, comfort food.

Since school has started, a lot of people are less inclined to spend time outdoors which means that campsites and hiking trails will be less crowded. The peak season is behind us, too, and many campgrounds drop their rates - which means you’ll pay less and be able to enjoy more!

Where should you camp out for the best view of fall foliage?

If you do plan a fall camping trip, we know that the primary reason would be the beautiful scenery, so it’s best to do so at a site where you can best enjoy the season. While pretty colors are abundantly scattered throughout the over 10,000 state parks in our country, only a few stand out to be what we think are worth the trip this season of autumn.

Allegany State Park

Salamanca, New York

Referred to as the “wilderness playground of Western New York”, Allegany is New York’s largest state park that offers camping. Boasting of 65,000 acres of lush scenery, rolling hills and meadows, lakes, streams, caves and sandy beaches, you’ll never run out of fun things to do here all year round. However, it is considered to be one of the most spectacular places to see fall foliage.

Allegany State Park is divided into two sections, namely The Red House Area and the Quaker Run Area. The Red House Area is home to popular park attractions such as the Red House Lake, Bridal Falls, Stone Tower and the Summit Fire Tower. The Quaker Run Area houses most of the park’s campgrounds and hiking trails on top of attractions like the Bear Caves, Quaker Lake, Science Lake, Thunder Rocks and the Quaker Ampitheater.

While the entire state of New Hampshire is reigned with pretty colors in the fall, you’ll have an amazing view and a grand time at Pawtuckaway State Park. Named after the Pawtuckaway Lake and Pawtuckaway Mountains, the park has 5,000 acres of natural beauty for you to enjoy during Autumn.

The picturesque Pawtuckaway Lake lines the park’s campground which houses 192 sites. Each site doesn’t offer hook-ups but provides an area for tent pitching, an open fire ring, a picnic table, bath houses and a parking area. If you do need electricity, there are cabins offered, too.

A lot of outdoor enthusiasts make a fuss about the gorgeous fall colors in Tennessee – and they love the state’s largest and most-visited state park, Fall Creek Falls, named after one of the tallest waterfalls in the Eastern part of the country, standing at 256 feet high. Surrounding the waterfalls are cascades, creeks, gorges, falls and lush plant life. Truly a dream for nature lovers, especially in Autumn.

222 campsites are scattered in 5 different areas within the park, all of which have water, electricity, grills, tables and bath houses. Some sites allow RVs. There are also 16 primitive sites, some of which are walk-in and some are park-on.

DeSoto State Park sits on top of Lookout Mountain and is best known for its beautiful waterfalls and fragrant wildflowers. It is also considered to have one of the best view for vibrant fall foliage – an ideal family-friendly camping spot to enjoy Autumn. In the area are famous Alabama attractions such as the 104-foot Desoto Falls, the historic Fort Payne and the Little River Canyon Nature Preserve.

Lodging options are plenty at this beautiful 3,502-acre state park. They house a campground with 94 full hook-up tent and RV sites. 2 backcountry campsites with shelters as well as Primitive Camping Sites are also offered here. You can also opt to lodge in at one of their cozy Mountain Chalets, Log Cabins or Motel Rooms.

Gifford Woods State Park is one of the most popular in the state not only because of its proximity to the Appalachian Trails, but also because of its prime elevation of natural forests – where the color are more vibrant and dramatic in the fall. While heavily visited, this state park is well-maintained, especially as it houses the popular Gifford Woods Natural Area – a patch of old growth northern hardwood forest (a mix of beech, sugar maple and yellow birch). Imagine how stunning these trees would be during Autumn season!

The campground offers 22 tent and trailer sites, 4 cabins and 21 lean-tos. Aside from camping, you can also enjoy plenty of outdoor activities here like fishing, boating and hiking.

Whether you’re an avid camper, a day hiker, an outdoor enthusiast or simply an all-around nature-lover, camping in the fall is a must in your bucket list. Any of these state parks is worth the trip this season – plan a trip and tell us otherwise.